Expect thunder and lightning in Potch
JOHANNESBURG: Thunder and lightning activity is expected when Akani Simbine and Clarence Munyai line up in the 200m Athletics SA (ASA) Speed Series in Potchefstroom today.
A fortnight ago, the two Olympians set the Tuks athletics track alight when Simbine became only the third South African to dip below 20 seconds, while Munyai set a new national 200m record with his time of 20.10 seconds.
Posting the third fastest time by a South African clocking 19.95s, Simbine became only the seventh athlete to dip below 20 seconds in the 200m and 10 seconds in the 100m on the same day.
Earlier that day, he posted the fastest 100m time by a South African on home soil crossing the line in 9.93 while Munyai missed Simbine’s junior national record by 0.01 clocking 10.20.
After getting a taste of breaking new ground, Munyai has a more audacious goal in mind as he hopes to become only the second junior behind Jamaican icon Usain Bolt to dip below 20 seconds.
A 17-year-old Bolt posted the world junior record at the Annual Carifta Games in Bermuda in 2004, clocking a fast 19.93.
“I expect more fireworks because I know Akani wants a 200m senior record and I will go out to do my best to win the race,” Munyai, a TuksSport athlete said.
“The aim for me will always be to become the second junior in history to run a sub-20 seconds.”
Munyai could be denied a fast race as Simbine had symptoms of flu, but hopes he will be fit for the race.
“With regard to the race, I’m gonna take it as it comes, just run and see what the body can put out on the track on the evening,” Simbine said.
The women’s race will see fellow Olympian Alyssa Conley line up in the half-lap sprint where she will look to dip below 23 seconds for the first time this season.
The defending 100m and 200m national champion clocked a season’s best 23.05 at an AGN meeting at the beginning of the month.
Women’s 400m hurdles ace Wenda Nel will open her season with the one-lap sprint, while training partner LJ van Zyl will negotiate the barriers for the first time this season.
Van Zyl will go up against former training partner and fellow Olympian Le Roux Hamman, who has shown good early season form when he clocked 49.37 over the weekend.
“It is my first hurdles race since starting with new coach, Hennie Kriel, where training has been going well and I’ve had a few good sessions,” Van Zyl said.
“I would like to run a good race to get into the swing of things. “The year is very long. “I’ve had a few invites for Diamond League meetings, so that still lies ahead. I can’t go overboard this early.”
The meet will allow athletes somewhat of a dress rehearsal for the South African Senior Championships in Potchefstroom in April.
Infield, women’s Olympic silver medallist Sunette Viljoen will launch the javelin for the first time in South Africa since her silver medal at the Rio Games.
The javelin stalwart will go up against promising youngster Jo-Ane van Dyk, who won the silver medal at last year’s IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Women’s Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya has been listed to participate in the 3000m, but she may opt not to run as she looks to find her form going into the lengthy season.
Meanwhile, ASA president Aleck Skhosana said the federation had taken extra precautions to avoid the technical glitches that marred last week’s edition in Bloemfontein.
The faulty electronic timing system in Bloemfontein produced improbable results including three national records from three different countries.